RIP Little Bear

My Ireland trip got off to a bit of a rough start, the hotel I was in did not have consistent hot water and I had some trouble figuring out international calling. Then I realized that the very thin soled shoes I chose to bring were not ideal for all of the walking I was doing on pavement, by the weekend I could hardly walk. Now that my feet have adjusted and I can comfortably walk again, it is nearly time to go.

The biggest blow, however, came this morning with an email from my wife, it seems that our dog had medical issues and had to be but to sleep yesterday.

RIP Little Bear

I can't believe that I will never again get annoyed by his barking, never again get to stroke is little head. The poor guy was born with a curved left rear thigh bone so he was essentially had only 3 legs his whole life, had it not been for that I think he would have been a show quality Pomerainian.
I will miss him, and wish that I could be home with my family to help them through these very difficult times. He was a member of the family and loved very much by all of us.

I am on my way home tomorrow morning so the trip is pretty well over with. I am going to head out for a bit more site seeing this afternoon. I am not enough of a drinker to really do what is done most in Dublin on Friday evenings, so I will go for a walk throught the Temple Bar district to engage in one of my traveling activities... People watching.

Integral, that's rough when a pet dies while you're away from home. You'll feel so strange when you walk in the door and he doesn't run up to greet you. My condolences.

I'm just worn out and tired now. Was up until 2 AM unpacking and putting away stuff, trying to get blinds up on windows (I know I hit the studs at least...they were pretty difficult to screw in...my last house was totally different with plaster walls that required wall anchors for everything, so I'm more used to starting to put a screw in, it suddenly punches through plaster, and then I remember to put in an anchor in the big hole I created). I'm really procrastinating moving from the kitchen table at the moment. Sat down to have coffee and my muscles are arguing that I really shouldn't move again for at least 3 days.

Kerrie, good luck with the last days of the pregnancy! I hope you'll post pictures when the little cutie arrives! Looking forward to the birth announcement.